Suit Up and Get Ready!

Main Point

Because Christ suffered, we as Christ-followers need to be ready to suffer as well. To follow Christ means that we stop following the world and begin to live for Christ. This is not easy. Peter’s own spiritual journey also reminds us that we can have good days and bad days. No matter what we need to stay faithful to the will of God. We may lose friends along the way but God provides a community of believers to cheer us on. We need to remember that we have a future hope to hold onto.

Why Must I Get Ready:

• Christ set the example for us: A faithful purpose sometimes leads to physical pain
  • Peter is probably remembering what Jesus said in John 21:18-19
• When we live for Christ, we live for the will of God not our own desires
  • We used to live for ourselves, now we live for God
• We have transitioned from our past and look forward to the future
  • When we step away from our past lives sometimes we face persecution from the community we used to hang with
• Our future hope is to live spiritually forever with God
  • For the Christian to die in this life leads to life in the next life (Phil. 1:21)

Scripture

• 1 Peter 4:1-6
• John 21:18-19
• Ephesians 6:10-20 (Armor of God)
• Philippians 1:21

Questions

• What steps can you do to get ready to face hard times?
• How does your will or desires get in the way of doing the will of God?
• Have you lost friends because of Christ?
• How has Christ been better than the world?

Application

• Pray daily to be ready. Stay faithful.
• Memorize: Philippians 1:21

²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.